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On January 29, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are extending their geopolitical and economic rivalry into the gold trade sector. According to BlockBeats, Saudi Arabia plans to procure gold from war-torn Sudan to weaken the UAE's longstanding dominance in the country's gold exports.

Previously, Sudan's military government primarily exported gold to the UAE. Official data indicates that in the first nine months of 2024, Sudan exported approximately 10.9 tons of gold, valued at $1.05 billion, with most of it going to the UAE. However, after Sudan accused the UAE of interfering in its civil war and formally severed ties last year, Sudan is actively seeking new export channels.

Sudan's state-owned mineral resources company disclosed that the Saudi Gold Refinery Company has expressed readiness to "immediately start purchasing gold" from the Sudanese government. The scale and timing of these transactions have not been disclosed, and Saudi officials have yet to respond.

Analysts suggest this move signifies a further escalation in tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, potentially opening new competitive fronts in the commercial sector. However, some believe that Saudi Arabia may struggle to completely replace the UAE's central role in Sudan's gold trade in the short term, viewing the move more as a political statement.

With the ongoing civil war and financial pressures, gold revenue is crucial for Sudan. Officials have estimated that about 80% of gold production may be lost to smuggling, causing the country to lose up to $5 billion annually. As Saudi Arabia increases its involvement, the flow of Sudanese gold may undergo significant structural changes.

Bitcoin's performance in early 2026 has been marked by a notable contrast between weekday gains and weekend losses. According to NS3.AI, the cryptocurrency has appreciated by 3.21% during weekdays but has seen a decline of 3.17% over weekends. While traditional hard assets such as gold and silver have experienced significant increases, Bitcoin has acted more like a risk asset rather than a safe haven, particularly affected by liquidity dips during weekends. The crucial factor for Bitcoin to regain its status as a macro hedge is its ability to maintain value over weekends and attract steady institutional investments, particularly through ETF demand.

On January 26, Santiment, a cryptocurrency market analysis firm, shared insights on social media regarding investment opportunities in cryptocurrencies with negative MVRV indicators. According to BlockBeats, when the MVRV ratio of a cryptocurrency is negative, it indicates that most ordinary traders are experiencing losses, presenting a potential entry point for investors. The more negative the yield, the lower the current buying risk for investors.

The MVRV indicators for major cryptocurrencies are currently as follows: ChainLink at -9.5%, Cardano at -7.9%, Ethereum at -7.6%, XRP at -5.7%, and Bitcoin at -3.7%, all suggesting undervaluation.

MVRV, which stands for Market Value to Realized Value Ratio, is commonly used to assess whether the average investor holding a particular cryptocurrency is profiting or losing money, and whether the market valuation is high or low.

a16z Crypto has released an analysis suggesting that concerns about quantum computing threatening cryptocurrencies are often exaggerated. According to PANews, the likelihood of a quantum computer capable of causing real-world disruption emerging before 2030 is very low. The article highlights that mainstream digital signature schemes and zero-knowledge systems like zkSNARKs are not easily susceptible to quantum attacks that follow a 'collect now, decrypt later' model. Prematurely transitioning blockchain systems to quantum-resistant solutions could introduce performance issues, engineering immaturity, and potential security flaws.a16z further emphasizes that compared to the yet-to-materialize quantum risks, major public blockchains like Bitcoin and Ethereum currently face more immediate challenges. These include the complexity of protocol upgrades, governance issues, and vulnerabilities in implementation layer code. The firm advises developers to plan quantum-resistant paths based on a reasonable assessment of timeframes rather than rushing into migrations. It also notes that in the foreseeable future, traditional security issues such as code defects, side-channel attacks, and fault injections should take precedence over quantum computing concerns. Resources should be focused on enhancing audits, fuzz testing, and formal verification.

Bitcoin is being utilized by investors as a quick cash source during uncertain times, resulting in rapid sell-offs instead of accumulation as a safe-haven asset. According to NS3.AI, this behavior contrasts with traditional assets like gold, which are typically seen as stable stores of value. Bitcoin's volatility and market dynamics during stress periods challenge its reliability as a protective asset in turbulent markets.

Stacy Muur posted on X that Lombard Finance's $BARD is among the few altcoins she is currently staking to accumulate more points. The cryptocurrency has shown promising traction following its Token Generation Event (TGE), with consistent performance noted by investors.

Polymarket recently reported that Jeff Bezos advised young entrepreneurs to work regular jobs before starting their own businesses, a claim that Bezos has publicly denied. According to NS3.AI, this incident underscores ongoing concerns about prediction markets such as Polymarket and Kalshi disseminating unverified or misleading information through social media. The spread of misinformation on these platforms includes politically sensitive topics and sports news, prompting questions about their reliability as they are anticipated to expand significantly.